Linger

F I F T Y - S E V E N

"It's spirit day! Where's your school spirit?"

I scrunched my face up at Chelsea in confusion. "What are our school colors again?"

"Ask Ben. He's on the hockey team. They're supposed to be wearing their jerseys today. " She nodded to Ben as he approached us. 

Alice's eyes lit up. "Hi." 

Ben adjusted his cap on his head as he gave her a small smile. "Hi." 

"Where's your school spirit?" Chelsea asked him.

Alice giggled quietly, shifting on her feet next to me as she kept her eyes on Ben.

Ben's eyes remained on hers, a faint smile on his lips as well. 

Chelsea tilted her head. "Ben . . . ?" 

His head perked up. "Huh?"

"Your school spirit? Where is it?"

He scrunched his face up in even more confusion. "My school what?"

She threw her hands up with an exasperated huff. "Does no one know it's spirit week?"

"I'm already here. Don't make me be excited about it too." He turned his cap to sit backwards on top of his brown hair. 

Alice let out a giggle and I laughed along. 

Ben chuckled quietly, catching Alice's eyes just as the bell went off. "I guess I better get to class." 

"Yeah, me too." Alice nodded. 

"Bye." He nodded at her. 

"Bye." She waved, before hugging her books close to her as she watched him disappear with a dreamy look.

Chelsea and I exchanged knowing looks.

Alice then let out a loud groan, sticking her head in her locker. "I'm so dumb!!" 

"Alice . . ." I sighed. 

"All I said was 'hi'! How lame is that?!" She lifted her head up. "Every time he's around I just--"

"--forget how to breathe?" I finished for her. 

"Yeah." She nodded, bringing her head up with a sigh. 

My gaze drifted off behind her. "Like, you can't even think straight when you see him so it makes it impossible to even speak . . ."

"Exactly!" 

The crowd trudging down the hallway parted, slowly revealing Daniel standing a short distance away, talking with another student just outside his classroom door.  His dark blond hair was neatly combed as always and the dark blazer he wore seemed to fit him just perfectly--

"Okay." Chelsea's voice brought me back to reality. "Am I missing something?" She glanced between Alice and I. 

"We'll catch up during study hall." I gave her a smile before turning back to my locker and fetching the rest of my books. 

"We need to catch up on our history homework first. Did you guys finish the study guide??"

"I'm almost done." Alice nodded. 

"What study guide?" I asked. 

Alice blinked at me. 

Chelsea's eyebrows shot up. "Our history study guide! Mads, it's due today!!"

"Yeah." I nodded, searching through my locker for the study guide that I totally did not forget about. "I'll finish it in study hall or something."